Integrative Nursing Management of Anxiety
Anxiety is a sense of perceived threat to one’s physical safety or emotional wellbeing, and symptoms are experienced in body, mind, and spirit. This chapter focuses on anxiety as a normal reaction to stressors—external, internal, or existential. Everyone experiences anxiety, both trait anxiety and state anxiety at multiple points in their lives; however, prolonged and severe symptoms of anxiety can evolve into a clinical form of anxiety, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder. This chapter reviews assessment of anxiety, including evidence-based screening measures and the patient-centered interview. Symptom identification and management incorporating integrative nursing principles are presented, including patient self-management strategies as well as provider-directed treatment options. In clinical decision-making for anxiety symptom management, concordance with the patient in establishing a treatment plan is emphasized. A case study highlights a patient-centered and culturally sensitive approach to the management of anxiety.